Inner spring unit



y 5 w. E. WUNDERLICH 2,374,850

INNER SPRING UNIT Filed Oct. 18, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Wan/7M Z? WU/YDf/FL /c//.

May 1945- w. E. WUNDERLICH 2,374,850

INNER SPRING UNIT Filed Oct. 18, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 1, 194 s U I D STATES, FATE N "OFFICE; P

INNER SPRINGUNIT I William E. Wunderlich, Muncie, Ind. Application October 15.3941, Serial No. 415,525 1 can, (01.5469) This invention relates to a spring unit including a plurality of open or untied coil springs the several springs being positioned in parallel rows, the immediately adjacent successive springs in Successive adjacent initial rows having an alignment transverse to that of the initial. rows, the several said transverse alignments being parallel to each other. Herein the springs in each initial row do not overlap or contact but are spaced apart in the row.

One chief object of this invention is to produce a spring unit wherein one face of the unit, for example, the bottom, is preferably stabilized unit is stabilized in the transverse direction.

Another chief object of the invention is to produce an end spring with an end turn which is of rigidizing and'reenforcing character at its free or united end and which, approximately opposite therefrom, is provided with an offset anchoring portion.

One feature of the invention consists in providing the aforesaid free end of the coil spring with an inwardly directed tip-which is of helical locking character, as hereinafter set forth.

Another feature of the invention is in provid- Fig. 3 is a perspective view 'of'a unit with one form of double conical coil showing the end turns thereof similarly formed but positioned in trans in one direction and the top or other face of the verse relation for forth. I

Fig. 4 is a partial plan view of the top portion of a Spring structure embodying spring units of the purpose hereinafter set Fig. 5 is a corresponding view of the bottom portion of the same structure, intermediate portions being broken out in both Figs. 4 and 5. In Fig. 1 of the drawings, it will be noted there is illustrated a plurality of coil springs I0, all

being substantially identical and having the end turn I I provided with a free end l2 that is'comparatively straight and of an appreciable length. This free end I2 is preferablyprovided-with an inwardly directed tip' l3.

Extending transversely of thefreeend I2 'is a relatively elongated portion Hfthat terminates in a curved portion l5, in turn terminating in a 'U-shaped, outwardly directedoffset portionflt, the same being positioned approximately opposite orhalf-way from the end of 'th'e-last turn of flthe' coil. Extending from the opposite end of the ing in an end turn of a spring coil an elongated portion at the free end thereof and a similar portion in alignment therewith and at the start of said end turn, the alignment being parallel to a similarly elongated portion in the said end turn intermediate the aligned portions thereof. said similarly elongated portion being ofiset relative to the immediately adjacent portions of said end turn.

Two forms of coil springs are disclosed and two forms of uni-ts, each unit embodying one of the forms of coil springs. In certain spring units the coils may be of other than doub le helical type as herein illustrated.

Other objects and features of the invention will beset forth more fully hereinafter.

The full nature of the invention will be under- .stood from the accompanying drawings and 'the following description and claims: Fig. 1 is a partial top plan view of one embodiment of the invention, adjacent coils in adjacent rows having ofiset portions in lapping relation, the free end of one of said coils being aligned therewith. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modified form of the invention, wherein the opposite offset portion 10f one coil is interposed between the free' end and offset portion immediately adjacent said free 'end in' the other'coil.

oxset portion 16 is the portion ll and this cornpletes the end turn, the same, however, terminating in a similarly but oppositely offset portion I8, the same havinga midportion comparapar-atively smalldiameter. This'helix' l9also'en circles the comparatively straight fre'e' end l2 and this free end servesto stabilize said spring tying helix.

It will be'observed that in Fig. 1 all ofthe helices are parallel insofar as all of the intermediate or interior spring coils are concerned.

It also will be noted the tip l3-xtends through the helix l9 toward the coil axisand. serves to 'lock the helix against longitudinal displacement 'with respect, to the aforementioned alignment.

There is provided any suitable border wire means,'preferably in the form of a helix Zllfand the ends of the helices- H! are suitably associated I Inthis form of theinvention bodiment illustrated in Fig. 1.

coils, shown in Fig. 1 have their portions I8 and.

I2 associated with the border wire 20 in substantially the same manner as the same portions of intermediate rows, of coils havetheir portions associated with'the helices I9 The aforesaid construction by reason of the trated in Fig. l, suchjas' portion 'ZI'I being importions I2 and I4, provides for greater rigidity V v tie arrangement to be utilized with the bottom in the top plane of the spring unit than has heretofore been effected and the respective helices are locked by the tips I3 of the coils associated there-.

with.

In Fig. 2 a somewhat similar form of the in vention is illustrated and this form is character ized by the following distinctions: parts being designated by numerals of the I00 series, to-wit,

I4 but is of considerable length. The rectanguin Fig. 2. This coil has its parts similarly designated by numerals of the two hundred series. It is to be observed that thecoilin this case is of double conical type and at opposite ends of the coil, to-wit, the end turns of the same are similarly formed. However, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the similar formations in one end turn are displaced, as it were, 90 with respect to the formations in the'other end turn. This permits, when the coilsareplaced .closertogether than illusmediately adjacent the portion 2I5'2 I4 of the adjacent coils in the same row, the same helical turns of the several coils as is utilized with respe ctn to the top turns thereof, as illustrated in Fig. 1', with the distinction that the helices 2I9 inthebottom plane (see Fig. 3) in this instance have axes transverse to the axes of the helices H9 in the top plane of Fig. 3.

,the bottom of a spring unit gainst movement :in

' one direction whereas the top of the unit requires lar-relatio ship,between'the portions I2 and I4,

and'I I2 and H4 is substantially the same. The portion H5, however, is arched outwardly beyond the portion I14. as illustrated. In other words,the-portion] It is not tangential to .por-

tion H5; as is the case with the portion I4 with respect to the curved portion I5. 1

also .the' outwardly ofiset portion I It is not substantially opposite the free end H2 of the coil but is slightly .ofisetj so-that it. is not immediately or diametrically opposite the latter or the portion I I8, Portion H8 is of offset character relative; tothe immediately contiguous portions of the end turnand in alignment with the portion II2. Portion .I I6, is intermediate the same but on the opposite side of the end turn. Thepurpose of this dis-v placement, as it weregof the portions IIB and II 8 is to insure :a sequential nesting arrangement as illustrated. in Fig. 2 whenfthe several,

coils in the several rows are associated together and connected by the helices H9 by sequential nesting arrangement, reference is. had to the centralportion of Fig. 2 and therein itis observed that the ,interfitting of one coil portion I I6 between portions I I2 and I I8 of the adjacent ,ooil includes in sequence the-portion II8 of one end turn of one spring. coil aligned. with po tion II6 of a similar end turn of an adjacent spring coil in turn aligned with the free end portion N2 of the first mentioned coil spring-end turn and all united by helix H9; ;Portions I8 and I6 lap or may be positioned side by side'in Fig. 11. This is one. difference between the unitsinherent to the difference inend turn formation ofthe c0il In view ofthe previous description, no further comment is believed necessary foran understanding of thisconstruction. 1

It is to be observed that with the nested. form shown in Fig.2, theconnecting helices IIB, are stabilized along the longitudinal axis thereof by the several associated coil portions to a slightly greater extent than that shown in Fig. 1. However, the tying arrangement, as it were, between the coils of adjacent rows is of looser character in Fig. 2 than that'obtained in the em- Reference now will be had to Fig. 3. Herein there is illustrated :a single coilof the type. shown stabilization in a transverse direction. This, the aforesaid structural arrangement. accomplishes. It also is to be understood, aswpreviously set -forth, that the sprim'gsh'own in Fig. 1 may have ,its lowerend turn formations when the spring is of double conical type,-similarly.off set 90 with respect to the top-turn formations. Also, it is to.- be understood thatdouble conical coils of the character illustrated 'inFigs. 11 and 2 may have their top turns connected together and bottom turns connectedtogether by helices which are substantially parallel, referring toxthe topand bottom-helices andto accomplish the same,,it is to be understoo that thedoubleconical coil in each instance is ,forciblytwisted so that one of its'end turns is rotatedin the winding direction shortening. portion IIII in Fig. 2 and bringing out .the tangential portion I4 and shortening curved foregoing description, the same is tobe. con- This modifies the tension of each of the coils Thi .also, itisquite obvious, translates the relationship between the free ends-and the adjacent offset portions; I

-By bringing out the curved portionv H5 and portion I5 in Fig. 1,,there is provided an extra area of support in v the end plane of the coils. The formation inboth forms: of the invention disclosed is such that there is, provided with respect;to-the portions I2 and I6, and H2 and H6, and arrangement that is of considerable force resisting characterin other words, this portion of each spring has increased resistance to spring deformation underload. Various other advantages alsov accrue from the utilization of ,either of these two embodiments of the invention.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail inthe drawings and sidered as illustrative and not restrictive incharacter. i The several modificationsdescribed herein as well as others which will readilysuggest them.-. selves to per-sons skilled in this art, all are considered to be' within the broad scope of them-- vention, reference being had to the claim.

The invention claimedis:

, A- spring unit wherein the top and bottom lie in, substantially parallelv planes andare similar to each, other, said unit including a. plurality of coil springs, each having at opposite ends end appended turns lying in said planes, the several springs being arranged in rows substantially transverse to each other, springs in adjacent parallelrows being substantially tangential at their end turns, helices between adjacent rows connecting the tangential end turns of adjacent springs together, all the helices in the bottom plane being transverse vto all those in the top plane, each end turn of each coil spring having a predetermined formation, the opposite end tum formations of said each coil being similar but angularly displaced 90 about the' longitudinal axis of the coil, each coil end turn formation including an elongated free end, the start of the end turn in that coil having a, similarly elongated portion and in longitudinal alignment with the said elongated free end and the said end turn, interme- 1 tion with the several aligned and offset portions.

of the coils, and top and bottom border wire means operatively connected with all marginal coils at the top and bottom end turns thereof for unit formation.

WILLIAM E. WUNDERLICH. 

